Crown of the Sunken King

Dark Souls 2's new DLC, Crown of the Sunken King, invites players to explore the subterranean Necropolis of Shulva. A vast sunken city of the dead where vindictive corpses roam the crumbling halls and enormous reptilian predators stalk the vast expanses of an underground lake, Shulva is home to lethal traps, challenging enemies, and a big hungry dragon.

Crown of the Sunken King became available available July 22. The gateway to the new content is located within a modified area from the original Dark Souls 2 campaign.

How To Access the Dark Souls 2 DLC

Upon purchasing Crown of the Sunken King, an item called a Dragon Talon is added to the player's inventory. Examining the Talon reveals a cryptic clue to its use:

Legend has it that in the deepest reaches of the Black Gulch, behind a door locked from the inside, is a magnificent city built for a great sleeping dragon.

In order to reach the DLC material and enter Shulva, players must travel to the Black Gulch area from the original Dark Souls 2 campaign. Most directly approached through the Pit in Majula, visitors to the Gulch must then find and defeat The Rotten boss if they have not already done so.

After beating The Rotten, the hero must visit the Primal Bonfire located in an antechamber off the boss room. In the back of the chamber is an obelisk. Examining this teleports the player to a lobby dominated by an imposing locked door. Using the Dragon Talon opens the door and allows the player to step into a new adventure.

It's also possible to access the DLC through summoning, even if you don't own Crown of the Sunken King.

Players who leave summoning signs just outside locked door to the DLC areas may be summoned inside by other players from within Crown of the Sunken King. Summoning signs drawn near the monoliths outside the locked door to Shulva are duplicated inside a portion of the DLC zone, allowing summoned players to visit a special Challenge Route as guests.

Need more help opening the path to the new DLC? Our complete Wiki Walkthrough of the Black Gulch and tips to defeating The Rotten will guide you every step of the way.

New Areas

Shulva - Sanctum City is a Lovecraftian abyss of angular architecture and glyphs haunted by the corpses of the dead.

Dragon's Sanctum - Its flooded lower regions are patrolled by immense saurian beasts, while the vast tower rising from the shallow lake is guarded by agile and powerful Black Knights, among the quickest common enemies in Dark Souls 2.

Cave of the Dead - A dangerous challenge route.

Dragon's Rest - A small inner chamber with a single bonfire, portending a momentous battle.

Adventurers entering the new areas will do well to prepare themselves with myriad melee and ranged attacks. The narrow cliffs, closed rooms, and pathways of the upper sanctum are a claustrophobic nightmare in close combat.

Facing two foes in melee is terribly dangerous in these upper reaches due to the ease of dropping off a cliff or being backed into an inescapable corner. Enemies are durable and aggressive, and often positioned to trap the player in groups.

New Bosses

Two new boss battles await the intrepid explorer in the depths of Shulva, as well as a third standout special encounter. DLC bosses scale with New Game Plus advancements, growing in durability and challenge on multiple playthroughs.

As hinted by the names of the new zones, one of these supreme enemies is a large fire-breathing dragon. Players who have faced the Ancient Dragon from the original Dark Souls 2 in battle know the unique difficulties of dealing with a huge, durable, and mobile enemy.

New Spells

Hidden among the ruins, intrepid travelers will discover a new Sorcery, two new Hexes, and a new Miracle. Focus Souls allows its caster to launch a single intense beam of destruction on a target, and Denial can potentially save a character on the edge of death. Dark Greatsword is a powerful offensive Hex, and promised Walk of Peace slows the world down a bit and gives you time to react.

Launch Date

Crown of the Sunken King, the first of three planned DLC segments, is available on July 22, 2014.